


I'll be your home

by midnighth0wls



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Misunderstandings, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, Werewolves, kind of, other members mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27616427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnighth0wls/pseuds/midnighth0wls
Summary: "I thought Lucas was lying when he said he smelled a vampire on campus.""I thought it smelled like wet dog around here and seems like I was right, too.""Guess we were meant to meet, eventually."
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 14
Kudos: 176





	I'll be your home

**Author's Note:**

> -loosely- based on a tumblr prompt (@/writing-prompt-s) : "a vampire and a werewolf are secretly dating. the only problem is the annoying human girl who is in love with both of them."

The door to the rooftop creaked loudly as it closed behind Donghyuck. 

It was funny, really, when he thought about it; how he had been so adamant about wanting a change in his life, take a deviation from the monotony of the gothic mansion on the outskirts of a peaceful, boring town. How Johnny had tried to talk him out of it, something about keeping a low profile and away from temptation, but that's exactly what Donghyuck was seeking - to live life at its fullest, feel _alive_ ; what was the point of eternity if he didn't make the most of it.

How he had chosen to enroll in university, mostly because he was curious about all the fuss he had heard about campus life, but because a part of him took pleasure in the knowledge that he was a predator hidden among a flock of sheep, oblivious of the possible threat, the upperhand he had over them. It was thrilling to think about it - that he could break them, if he wanted to - but he wasn't there to create havoc, just to experience the moment. Four years didn't mean that much for Donghyuck, either way.

He liked campus life, admittedly. The bustling ambiance, the quick pace everything and everyone seemed to go at, the range of activities he partook in. It almost felt like he couldn't even stop to take a breath, but Donghyuck liked that. He wanted that, enjoyed something so starkingly different from his past years, the routine he had felt imprisoned in for it made time slow down, days blurring and blending into one another. 

He couldn't remember the last time he was this busy, rejoiced in all the things he had to do and wanted to learn; yet here he was, slipping away and seeking a moment of peace and quiet he hadn't experienced for the last months.

It vaguely felt like home, but not at the same time. It wasn't the old wooden floor with questionable stains on some of the boards, it wasn't the black velvet curtains that blocked all light and curious stares from the outside world, it wasn't the deafening silence that very rarely left the house. It was more in the sense that he still felt like he was missing out on something, despite how much he kept himself busy.

The rooftop was bright, bathed in sunlight and warm, albeit solitary. The wind carried voices from the courtyard and the same building he was in, from the popular café most students dropped by everyday and all the way to the farthest corners of the campus; and what the wind didn't whisper, he picked it up with his exceptional hearing.

But he must had been so distracted by all the sounds happening below, that he didn't hear the steps approaching and the door opening until it closed with a creak.

Donghyuck turned around, and _oh_.

He didn't expect that.

"I thought Lucas was lying when he said he smelled a vampire on campus," the stranger said, walking up to the railing where Donghyuck stood and propping his arms without caring about the rusty iron. 

Donghyuck eyed him, cautious but with great curiosity, although he didn't even try to hide his obvious staring; he had inky black hair, completely ruffled and messy in a way that he managed to pull off. His features somehow seemed both sharp yet soft, his face sculpted like it was made of the purest marble, his physique that appeared lean yet strong, despite the oversized hoodie that engulfed his form. He noticed they were the same height, too. But what really caught Donghyuck's interest was the aura he gave off, though - a friendly warmth, welcoming, open, but not masking the dangerous edge he had; the power to break, just like Donghyuck.

"I thought it smelled like wet dog around here and seems like I was right, too," Donghyuck replied, biting his tongue when he remembered he shouldn't get on their kind's bad side; just because the war between vampires and werewolves ended centuries ago didn't mean some didn't hold a grudge, still.

But the guy just threw his head back and laughed, the cheerful, high-pitched sound ringing in Donghyuck's ears like a bell. It made him smile.

"Guess we were meant to meet, eventually."

Donghyuck hummed, absentmindedly, smile still on his lips. The cheeky guy held his stare for a few seconds. 

It might had been Donghyuck's wishful thinking, a trick of the light, but it seemed like the other mirrored what he was feeling - a slight comfort, knowing they didn't have to hide in that moment, or even pretend to be something else they were not, for their secrets were as much oneself's as it was the other's. It made Donghyuck realize that despite not missing home he did miss this aspect of his life, his essence, in some way. For months it had been pushed far back in his mind, ignored, unless he was alone with his thoughts; which truthfully hadn't happened that often (he had come to enjoy being busy! Having stuff to get done!). If he wanted one thing he had to give up the other, and so far it had been an easy choice - he was going to live with his... _condition_ for a literal lifetime, this short interval was like a snap of his fingers. 

But now, in this sudden turn of events, the scales seemed to even out. 

Donghyuck stuck out his hand to the guy, and introduced himself. "I'm Donghyuck."

The other's smile grew a tad bit bigger, and he took Donghyuck's hand in his. His skin was warm and a little dry. "Mark."

"Say Mark, what business does a werewolf have in university?"

Mark chuckled, slowly removing his hand from their brief handshake. His fingers tickled Donghyuck's palm.

"My older brother kind of forced us to attend uni to _properly_ learn how to live among humans," he rolled his eyes. "As if we haven't been doing this all our lives."

"Sounds rough man."

"You tell me," Mark laughed, again, and Donghyuck realized how much he enjoyed being the cause of that sound. "My brothers are loving this way more than me, though. They have so much energy, they are always participating in some kind of physical activity that I barely see them anymore," he looked down, over the railing, where they could hear peals of laughter from a crowd by the stone fountain.

"Do you?"

"Nah, nothing's really appealed to me so far," Mark moved to face Donghyuck, with such a big smile that it made his eyes soften. If he'd had a beating heart, it would have definitely started to race. "But I might have just found something interesting."

Donghyuck didn't have a response to that, but it did make something pleasant flutter inside him.

"What about you? Don't vampires prefer to stay away from humans?"

"For the most part," he shrugged, turning around to lean his back on the railing. "I just wanted... to feel. Find something that'd make eternity worth it."

Mark raised an eyebrow at the pause, smile still dancing on his lips. He could even see his pointy canines.

"I might have found it, too."

The werewolf laughed, loud and silvery, eyes turning into two crescent moons. 

"Wanna go for a coffee?"

***

It wasn't until Donghyuck was on his way home after his date with Mark (he seriously couldn't get enough of how adorable his laugh sounded, it still echoed in his mind even after exchanging phone numbers and parting ways) that he remembered why he had been seeking a peaceful moment for himself hours ago in the rooftop.

Now, while he himself did decide to cohabit with humans, he had mixed feelings about them. Some were okay, respected Donghyuck's boundaries and didn't push him to be associated with them; which he greatly appreciated. He prefered to be friendly than to be friends. Some others just... didn't get the hint. Johnny had told him to keep his manners and always be polite (when he failed at getting Donghyuck to drop this crazy and sudden idea of going to university) but it was becoming harder and harder to control this intense urge to snap at them.

' _You're hundreds of years older, wiser, you should know better than that Donghyuck_ ,' Johnny would say. 

"Donghyuck!" a shrill voice shouted, coming from somewhere a few meters behind him.

The vampire heaved a sigh. No matter how many times he'd heard it, the piercing sound felt like a drill in his head every single time.

While he didn't want a human friend, it seemed like one had gotten infatuated with him.

In retrospective, Donghyuck was kind of at fault there. The thing is, ever since the beginning of classes, Donghyuck had pretty much kept to himself; this girl (he didn't even remember her name!) had found herself alone, too, for whatever reason, and decided that since they both were on their own that they had to stick together. Donghyuck had been quite vague about it, dropping little indirects here and there that flew over her head every time, but how the Hell was he supposed to politely tell someone to fuck off without offending them. Johnny would be disappointed if he didn't resolve this in a well-mannered way - ' _I raised a gentleman Donghyuck_ ,' he'd remind him.

Lately he had resorted to speaking as little as possible.

"You going in that direction too?" she asked once she caught up with him, a little breathless after sprinting to reach him. Donghyuck shrugged, facing forward, trying to convey with his passive attitude that he wanted to be alone. But again, she didn't seem to get the hint.

All he could do now, defeated, is tune out her voice. That was the easy way out until he figured out how to... _kindly_ ask her to shoo.

Humans were a reminder of his bittersweet past. How he used to be one, too, hundreds of years ago. The memories he remembered crystal clear like it had been yesterday he wasn't a blood-sucking vampire. How they were the ones to double-cross him when things got ugly, when it was easier to sacrifice others to save themselves. How, if it hadn't been for his family - the ones that saved him, gave him a second chance - he wouldn't be there now.

Donghyuck knew, _was aware_ , that it was all in the past, that the humans that inhabited Earth now weren't the same ones that had turned their backs on him; but while he could ignore it, push his resentment aside, he couldn't forgive.

Humanity tasted acrid in his mouth.

Under the shade of the walnut tree where the stone path split in two different directions, the human girl stopped and turned to Donghyuck.

"Thank you for walking me," she said in a low voice, face red and unable to look him in the eye. Despite Donghyuck's good hearing he wondered if he had _heard_ right, and before he could comment on it (the absurdity of it!), the girl squeaked and ran down the path to the residence halls.

Donghyuck scoffed, muttering a ' _the fuck_ ' under his breath that left his lips in a white puff, dissipating shortly after like his stupor.

He had been human once, but he thought, sarcastically, how little he understood them as he resumed his walk home.

***

Donghyuck really liked Mark's laugh.

If happiness was a sound it would be this one, so utterly genuine and heartfelt, _lived_ ; it felt like sunshine grazing his skin, warm and cozy, but not as burning as the sun rays would normally affect him. It felt like a blanket comfortably put over his shoulders, that warmed his cold dead heart. It felt like a pleasant memory, like finding his way after being lost for so long. It felt like home.

Yet, what felt better, was the way Mark looked back at him - like he had hung the moon in the sky.

"I've been wondering," started Mark when his laughing fit ceased, leaning his back on the rusty railing like Donghyuck. The sky above them was covered in silver clouds. "Well, you're actually the first vampire I've ever met in person so I'm sorry if it sounds rude?" Donghyuck laughed and told him not to worry about it. "Doesn't the sun like... burn you?"

Donghyuck patted his own cheeks, and replied: "Sunscreen."

Mark burst out laughing, throwing his head back and then forward, then leaning to his side and brushing shoulders with Donghyuck. His whole body was shaking with the force of his laughter, that in turn made Donghyuck chuckle, pretending that the way his pinky made contact with Mark's was accidental.

"On that topic, what do you do on a full moon? I haven't heard any rumors about rampant werewolves on campus."

"You're gonna laugh," Mark said, yet he was the one with the hint of a bubbling giggle in his tone. "We just howl at the moon, and like, we get pretty competitive about it? My brothers and I."

Donghyuck snorted. "No way."

"Taeyong, he's our older brother, says we're still young and therefore stupid," Mark rolled his eyes, recalling the memory rather fondly. "Mom would just make us run in the backyard all night to tire ourselves out, but you know, kids have a lot of energy. Not like it's any different now."

"I'm sure you were the cutest cub."

"Shut up," Mark punched his arm, lightly, jokingly, his laugh a perpetual melody he sang. When he lowered his hand, it casually covered Donghyuck's; warm, calloused hands meeting colder, softer skin, a significant contrast that nonetheless, felt right. Balanced out.

For a while, they stayed like that, shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, just them and a sea of silver clouds over their heads and a breeze that spoke of a rainfall that was to come.

Donghyuck liked having things to do all the time and keeping his hands busy. But moments like this weren't all that bad if he had the right company by his side.

"Okay I have another question," Mark piped up after some time. Donghyuck hummed, and leaned a little more towards him. "This is probably going to sound dumb but bear with me. Are you doing good with, you know... phones and stuff?"

"Mark, I'm old, not stuck on the past."

"Don't use that tone like it's a dumb question!" he exclaimed, sharped nails gently pinching the skin at the back of his hand.

Donghyuck cackled. "Right, I'll indulge your curiosity. Got used to technology pretty fast, they say wisdom comes with age but I've been smart from day one."

"Your modesty is overflowing."

"But I guess I know where you're coming from," Donghyuck continued, ignoring Mark's side remark. "Yeah, vampires are quite old-fashioned. I made my brother, Johnny, get a phone before I left so I could talk with him, but he still sends me handwritten letters anyway."

"That's cute. If I wrote my brothers letters they'd just use them as coasters."

"Want me to write you letters then, Mark?"

The werewolf barked out a laugh, the loud and sudden tune travelling up like a flare that seemed to make the sky appear brighter, glowing, hints of blue showing between the clouds.

This was indeed the sound of happiness; his own, at least.

***

When Mark had invited Donghyuck to join him and his brothers at their table in the cafeteria he had, obviously, expected to see them; Mark had talked about them a few times already, enough that Donghyuck could picture them in his mind. They didn't all share blood, Mark had explained, but just like Johnny and Donghyuck, that little detail didn't make them any less of a family.

Donghyuck usually helped the members of the Foreign Cooking Club during lunch time. While he could consume human food (despite it not... tasting as good as he remembered. He had gotten used to blood at this point) it gave him the perfect excuse as to why he didn't eat - if someone at the club asked him, he'd eaten before; if someone invited him for lunch, he said he'd eat at the club.

Mark knew that, probably his brothers too, so he wasn't worried about being questioned when he walked to the cafeteria and made his way to the back, to the table on the left corner were Mark said they usually sat.

However, with that in mind, what he didn't expect to see was a certain human girl who was equally or more surprised to see him there. Donghyuck felt himself frown.

She was the one who spotted him first, choking on a mouthful of her hamburger and letting out a stifled ' _Donghyuck_ ' that caught the table's attention; although it quickly diverted to Donghyuck. Mark smiled big, though a little confused, and the guy with blueberry hair sitting next to him waved a hand.

Donghyuck sat down in front of them, next to a black-haired guy who was looking at him with eyes wide open and excitement he was barely holding back. _Ah, he must be Lucas_ , thought Donghyuck.

Before Mark could introduce him to his brothers, the human girl coughed rather loudly, and then, under her breath, said: "Aah, this is awkward."

The vampire almost laughed, but instead he kept his features calm and collected, like he was taught to. The same couldn't be said about Mark's brothers, though at least they were trying to hide their amused smiles behind their hands.

The human's presence actually tied up some loose ends now that he thought about it, paid attention to the little details - why Mark had smelled a bit familiar, sometimes. Why that flowery fragrance, hidden underneath Mark's scent (woodsy, a little like leather, fresh air and nighttime too, and cheap perfume), rung a bell in Donghyuck's mind. It was the same small trace he could smell on himself whenever she lingered for a moment too long around him.

That meant she wasn't as alone as she claimed herself to be when she followed him. Hell, she even had someone to eat lunch with! Donghyuck felt a glimmer of annoyance burn down down his throat; he felt lied to, somehow. Taken advantage of. Played. His act of kindness, although poorly and begrudgingly performed, was built on lies. He felt the ice in his veins melt, giving way to something hot and ugly, something Johnny wouldn't be proud of.

It was the gentle touch of something under the table, the tip of a shoe pressing against his, and a worried look from Mark, that Donghyuck felt the cold return to his body, his hands going back to their usual icy temperature, the tension in his shoulders dissipating with a simple exhale. 

This time, when Mark smiled at him, it wasn't as big, but it was reassuring and only for him to see.

"I guess you two already know each other, so, this is Jeno," Mark motioned to the one with blue hair and a cute eye smile. "And this is Lucas."

Donghyuck shook the hand Lucas had proffered, noticing the same warmth and roughness Mark's hand had. His hand was bigger, though, didn't properly fit in his like Mark's did.

"I'm pretty sure I've seen you around before," Jeno mentioned, leaning forward on the table. His sleeve almost touched the leftover sauce on his tray. "Humanities building? Around eleven?"

Right, Donghyuck went there a couple times a week for the Book Club. And the Chess Club some afternoons too. He nodded. "Yeah, might be."

Jeno beamed at him.

His brothers were nice and full of energy, like Mark had described them. But while he thought conversation would flow easily between them, Donghyuck didn't realize he was putting up a wall. His answers were short, although not curt, and he listened more than he spoke. The brothers seemed okay with carrying the casual, small talk.

Long, awkward minutes later, the human stood up cutting off Lucas mid sentence.

"Uh, I should get going, class starts soon."

She was avoiding looking at them in the eye, quite notoriously, which nearly made Donghyuck scoff; he seriously didn't understand humans. Sometimes, he even wondered why he didn't consider online learning (but then he remembered how bad internet connection was back at home).

The other guys bid her goodbye with friendly smiles, and once she was out of hearing, Lucas turned to Donghyuck to excitedly exclaim: "I knew I was right about the vampire!"

Jeno burst out laughing, waving a hand at his brother, "Lucas, lower your voice."

Mark surprised Donghyuck by stretching out a hand to smooth out the frown he didn't realize he was still sporting. "No need to be so serious," he told him, fingers lingering for a second longer on his skin. It didn't seem like he was scolding him for his sudden temper, but there was something in his voice that sounded... off. 

Donghyuck shook his head, and before Mark could retreat his hand back to his lap, he gently caught his fingers, naturally entwining with his.

"Hey, have you eaten?" Jeno asked Donghyuck, after he was done laughing at something Lucas had said. When he took notice of their linked hands, he didn't even try to hide the knowing smile playing on his lips.

"Not yet. At home, later," it would certainly gain too much unwanted attention if he tried to drink blood in campus, and Johnny would probably disinherit him if he ever dared to try it.

"Is it hard to find blood around here? Like, I doubt you go around biting necks like it's nothing," Lucas asked next, his curious eyes opened wide.

Donghyuck chuckled at his attentive face, and at Mark's rather concerned expression. "You'd be surprised how many people actually donate blood exclusively for vampires, regardless if they know we exist or not."

Lucas seemed to find that hilarious, for his laugh was so loud it resounded above all the noise and chatter in the cafeteria.

Not long after that, Jeno and Lucas left for their own activities (how could they even exercise after eating?), and Donghyuck offered to walk with Mark to his next class.

"I'm sorry," Mark said, out of the blue, once they had parted ways with the other two. The vampire halted, confused at the apology, pulling Mark to a stop by their still linked hands. They had almost reached the stone fountain. "You were clearly uncomfortable, I should have thought of something else."

Donghyuck lead him the few steps to the fountain and sat on the edge, squeezing Mark's hand to follow suit. The burble of water behind them drowned out all the other sounds around campus.

"What? That wasn't your fault Mark," he protested, using that petulant voice that he knew brought a smile to Mark's face. "For real, though. And I should apologize too for bringing the mood down."

He had been eager to introduce him to his brothers, but Donghyuck had somehow ruined it. Bless the other two for being too nice to say something about it - they truly were Mark's family.

"No, Hyuck," with a gentle brush of his thumb, Mark wiped away a little drop of water that had landed on his cheek. The gesture made him feel so at peace, so cared for, like in that moment, only Mark and Donghyuck existed. "Don't be sorry about your feelings," Mark stated, lightly flicking his forehead and making Donghyuck pout. "Though, if you told me about it, I'd be able to understand it better."

"Don't you have class now?"

"I can afford to skip a day."

So Donghyuck told him about his thoughts, about his past, about his inner conflict, whether to hold on his grudges or ignore the fire that ignited deep in his core, about to consume him. How it wasn't always easy to pretend, play nice, but how it was always easy to be himself around Mark.

When it felt like it was only them two there, in their little world where their secrets were open ones, everything seemed to be simpler.

And when Donghyuck trailed off, throat croaky and eyes downcast, Mark picked up the thread of the conversation and told him about his family, the memories that put a smile on his face, and the ones that exasperated him, too. About feeling lost, sometimes, like staring at a completely dark night sky, but how he had seemed to find his moon now.

It started to get a little chilly out there, the sun slowly disappearing behind white, fluffy clouds and the wind picking up from time to time. Donghyuck rested his head on Mark's shoulder, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Now that I've cooled off I realize how childish of me that was."

He couldn't imagine what would Johnny say about his behaviour. The fact that he wasn't too embarrassed about it would have gained a defeated sigh from him.

Mark carded his free hand through Donghyuck's hair, so gently and tender that it made him _melt_.

"Stop thinking about it," he chided, softly, running a comforting hand up and down between his shoulder blades. "And it's okay to be a little childish sometimes, you're still Donghyuck. My Donghyuck."

"Why are you so cute," Donghyuck whined, trying to pinch Mark cheeks but to no avail, the werewolf was stronger than him. He easily caught Donghyuck's hands in his, moving them away from his face.

"You should talk to her, by the way, and say you don't wanna be friends or whatever," Mark continued, cheeks a little pink. "Just don't bottle this up until you explode."

Donghyuck heaved a long sigh, shoulders sagging and head dropping to the crook of Mark's neck. He smelled nice. "I should, I should," he repeated. He would, if he first figured out _how_ to.

"Good, you can do it," Mark smiled, patting the top of Donghyuck's head, and laughing out loud when the vampire planted a sonorous kiss on his neck.

(It wasn't until long after they said goodbye and went home, that Donghyuck realized Mark had called him _Hyuck_ for the first time ever. If he'd had a working heart, it would have surely skipped a beat.)

***

To nobody's surprise, Mark and Donghyuck started dating a month an a half after they met.

That ' _nobody_ ' truly just implied Jeno and Lucas, the two that were far too invested in Mark's love life, much to his chagrin and to Donghyuck's amusement.

Small discrepancies aside (despite how much Donghyuck had come to enjoy riling Mark up and how cute he looked when he was exasperated by his antics), they mostly kept to themselves. It's not like they wanted it to be a secret, that they were together, but at the same time, it's not like they were associated with anyone else other than Mark's brothers; or that they were on speaking terms, at least.

Some days Donghyuck convinced Mark to join him in some of the clubs he went to, although he wasn't an official member of any.

(" _The Undead Club_? What the Hell is that, Hyuck?"

"A source of pure entertainment," he replied, smiling at Mark's eye roll. "They just talk about monster stuff, it's hilarious. Last week they had a really heated debate about whether vampires can be seen in digital cameras or not. They almost made me believe I can't.")

Other times Mark convinced Donghyuck to just have lazy days, where they put on some new show to watch or that documentary Donghyuck really wanted to check out - lately he had been quite into Ancient Egypt and the Valley of the Kings!

But overall, it worked out for them. They found something that balanced out their preferences, as it was as much giving as it was receiving. 

Sometimes Mark stayed over at Donghyuck's apartment; to take a break from his energetic brothers, he'd always say, but Donghyuck knew it was because he'd missed him.

On the night of a full moon, the vampire was thrilled to find out that Mark did in fact not lie about his howling-at-the-moon tendencies. For around an hour or two, his boyfriend sat by the window, trapped in some hybrid form between a human and a wolf, whining when clouds covered the beautiful, glowing moon for more than a second. Really cute, and he had a couple of videos to back up that statement. When he got tired of not getting any replies back from the moon, Donghyuck was also surprised to discover that Mark was big on cuddling.

("You smell nice," Mark had told him, voice scratchy and muffled by Donghyuck's shoulder. "Like ink, and old books, and something like iron, but sweet too. Just like you are.")

However, he wasn't so happy about all the hair he found on his couch the next morning.

But Donghyuck liked Mark, a lot. And liking Mark was easy, and it felt right, like it was meant to be.

So even if they fell into some kind of routine (and how much he had come to detest them!) it wasn't always the same - there was always something to look forward to, there was this excitement tingling in the tips of his fingers, dancing inside his chest like his heart had revived after being still for so long. Donghyuck liked that, too, not too unexpectedly so. As if Mark was that something he was missing out in his life, and now it all felt complete.

"You're late."

Mark stood in front of him, hands on his knees to catch his breath. Donghyuck had to tilt his neck back to look at his boyfriend from his cross-legged position on the grass. The walnut tree provided him some shade to help endure the blazing sun of that morning, and when Mark moved a step aside so he didn't have to squint up at him, Donghyuck felt his smile widden.

"I know, sorry," Mark sighed, shoulders sagging, but helped Donghyuck stand up when he stretched out a hand. "Lucas sprained his ankle the other day, remember I told you?" Donghyuck nodded; hard to forget when his brother had been extremely vocal about his frustration at being held back from physical activities for a week. "He's a nightmare to live with, right now, he can't stop complaining about everything! And he demands attention all the time like a little kid. I didn't even have time to shave this morning."

Now that he said that, Donghyuck took notice of the hint of a light stubble on Mark's face (apparently, werewolves grew hair faster than normal, so he had to constantly take care of that problem). But when he reached out a hand the other quickly caught it.

"Don't," he scowled, grabbing the other hand that tried to touch his chin. 

Donghyuck pouted. "Please, you look so cute."

But Mark was stronger than him, and any attempt at wrestling his hands out of his grasp - to cup his face, that is, he really wanted to do that - were futile.

"Donghyuck, I'll seriously punch you in the face."

"Then I'll kiss you!" and to support his threat, he puckered his lips and plunged forward. Mark let go of his left hand to stop him, his own covering Donghyuck's face and pushing him back. He didn't even relent when he licked his palm.

They were startled out of their playful tussle by a sudden, urgent scream. "Stop fighting!!"

Mark jumped, releasing Donghyuck like he had been caught stealing money from his mom's purse.

"What is wrong with you two!" the human girl yelled, hands balled into fists, because of course it had to be her; Donghyuck would have rolled his eyes if he hadn't been as taken aback by her outburst. Mark winced at the loud volume of her voice. "You're just making this worse!"

It must had been a stroke of pure luck, but that area of the campus was unexpectedly deserted at that time and there was no one to witness... whatever was happening. Even Donghyuck was too confused to retort something back.

Her eyes welled up with tears, looking from one to the other with something akin to sadness and uncertainty in her expression. "Just, stop. I need time," and with that said, lips trembling and hands clutching the hem of her sweater, the girl turned around and hurried down the path to their right.

And then, Donghyuck realized something.

"Uh? What?" Mark asked, eyes wide when he heard him laugh out of the blue. It didn't seem to click for him yet.

"Mark," Donghyuck cackled, putting both hands on his shoulders. His puzzled demeanor was kind of adorable, and he had to fight back the urge to coo at his boyfriend. "She has a crush. On both of us."

"No way," he frowned, tilting his head to the side. Donghyuck gently pulled on his earlobe.

"Think about it! You said when you met back at the beginning of the semester that you guys asked to sit on her table because the others were all occupied, right? Then why would she always choose to sit with you three even when you were there first? Even when you don't even speak like friends would? Hell, you said it gets awkward sometimes!"

Mark raised an eyebrow, but he had probably started to get the gist of it.

"And why would she keep chasing after me when I'm not exactly the kindest to her."

"That's not nice, by the way," Mark made a face, ignoring Donghyuck's grumbled ' _that's not the point, you dummy_ '. "But that's certaintly bad."

"What do you mean bad! Dude, this is gold comedy. Who would have thought, falling for both a vampire _and_ a werewolf who happen to be dating."

Mark used his thumb and forefinger to pinch Donghyuck's lips shut. "And that's exactly why this is not okay. Did you even talk to her like you said you would?"

Well, Donghyuck might have forgotten to do that. He had a good excuse, though! He had been busy studying for midterms, spending most of his free time between hidden corners in the library and Mark's company (and both at the same time, too). Actually, if he thought about it, he couldn't recall the last time he saw her. Two weeks ago, maybe more? 

"I'm pretty sure she's been avoiding me."

"At least pretend you're not that happy about it," Mark snickered, tugging at the hair on the back of his neck. Donghyuck needed a haircut. "I think she's also been skipping lunch at the cafeteria for the past week or so."

Truth be told, that's the better outcome Donghyuck could have thought of. No need to confront her with words and have the risk of possibly hurting her in the progress; not like, he gave a fuck about humans' feelings, but Johnny would have been disappointed in him. And Mark, and he had enough with just one.

However, there was something that didn't quite sit well with him - what did she mean by ' _I need time_ '?

Donghyuck was smart, but he couldn't figure out what did that entail. 

He didn't like that.

*

Donghyuck didn't need to wait long to find out.

A few days later, not even a whole week, found Donghyuck and Mark in the rooftop after their classes of the day ended. It was barely an hour before sunset, and despite the sun still being present in the sky, turning a beautiful orange color, it was freezing cold. As usual, they stood with their backs leaning on the rusty railing, their hands clasped together inside the pocket of Mark's favorite hoodie.

He enjoyed these quiet moments with his boyfriend; Mark was a pretty social butterfly, but he didn't always have energy for that, and calm places helped him recover. Donghyuck was honored to be welcomed when Mark wanted to recharge; sometimes they listened to music together, others they talked about everything and nothing at the same time, or like today, they just stayed silent, observing the world moving forward before them. When Mark needed a break, Donghyuck was more than happy to stop with him; he could have the rest of his life to be busy.

But their little bubble popped when the door to the rooftop opened with a loud creak.

"Lucas said you'd be here."

The sun was setting behind them, but there was still enough light to see the blush high in her cheeks.

Donghyuck had a bad feeling about this.

The human girl walked up to them, wringing her hands. "I've been thinking hard about this," she started, her eyes traveling from one to the other. "It's just... It didn't feel right to have to choose, you know? And I thought to myself, what if I don't?" Donghyuck hated how hopeful the glint in her eyes was. "What if I give an opportunity to both and-"

"All that _thinking_ you claim to have done and it didn't even occur to you to ask for our opinion?" Donghyuck interrupted. He let go of Mark's hand and took a step forward, feeling a smirk play in his lips when he noticed the height difference. "Or are you just too self-centered to realize what goes on around you?" his mocking tone made her gasp, embarrassment coloring her face red like blood, taking a small step backwards. Donghyuck ignored Mark calling his name in a warning whisper. "For the record, I don't fancy girls. Hell, nor I like humans!"

Mark was quick to cover Donghyuck's mouth. "What he means to say," he stressed each words with an accusatory glance at his fuming boyfriend. "We don't return your feelings, I'm sorry."

The girl mouthed an inaudible ' _oh_ ', frozen to the spot. "But-"

Donghyuck pulled Mark's hand down to speak. "Nothing, get out," he bared his teeth, making sure his pointy fangs scared her away.

"Donghyuck!" exclaimed Mark, jumping when the door to the rooftop closed with a bang and a chocked scream, the hinges protesting at such harshness. And when Donghyuck innocently batted his eyelashes at him, putting his hands on his shoulders, Mark burst out laughing. "You're truly something."

He kissed the tip of his nose. "Problem solved."

"What are we gonna do if rumours start spreading?" Mark sneaked his arms around his waist, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"We're two against one, and you know I can be persuasive," he replied, waggling his eyebrows. "But it'd be pretty cool to be the topic of conversation in The Undead Club."

Mark's laugh was Donghyuck's happiness, and even if it meant possibly disappointing Johnny and gaining a bad reputation at campus, he'd do anything to keep it close, to warm his cold heart, and to guide him home.

With Mark, Donghyuck thought his long life was finally worth it.


End file.
